I just picked up this beauty today for a steal, was instantly shocked at the nice condition. Cab is literally near perfect, thing has only 14k plays on it and it shows. A fine layer of dust coats the whole thing, a little novus and she will shine so nice. Also someone cut the wires from the backbox literally 1 inch from the pin connector (they did not know there was a connector..) so I have to splice every wire back. Well worth it to bring this beauty back to life though, just look at those plastics! A cherry bell indeed.

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I'll send you guys some more pics when it's done.

Thanks for the comments, glad you guys like it.

Just a quick tip I just learned myself. Do not strip old style cloth wires of insulation to splice them, it is a pain in the ass. Just slide the cloth insulation back, make the solder and then slide the insulation back over the solder joint.

You likely already knew this, but I didn't and it saved me alot of time when I found out.

thanks for the tip B.D. I will try it. I still have a good bit of wiring to splice.

a lighter is a better tool anyhow, it fits in your pocket and you can use it to light your J's as you work. A true multitool.

Just finished splicing all the wires back, thanks for the tip B.D. it saved me some time.

Anyways, spent most of the evening getting it up and running, and the first cleaning. She works and plays PERFECTLY. What a find this thing was, I can tell already it will be one of my favorite pins in my collection for a long time to come.

Some more pics, sorry for the crappy quality, it's late and they are taken on my iphone.

regards

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Yea, I love the backglass on this machine that guys eyes are lookin at only one thing haha. The cherry bell has quickly become my most prized pin in a very short time, I am going to clean it extra super nice and take it to the Rocky Mountain Pinball Showdown in April, I am hoping it can win the "best EM" ribbon, or at least be a contender. Sonic made some really fun pins, and they are built really solid. An underrated pin maker for sure.

Autumnfade, interesting fact I did not know. I figured that since it was a 77 and an EM it had to be one of the very last EM's made in any number from really any manufacturer? I may be wrong on that though, but I know Williams was switched over to SS by this point so I assume Gottlieb was not to far behind. Anyways back to sonics, I love the mars trek of course for a popular sonic but I am really interested in a prospector or a faces as you mention. That "faces" is just so out there with the art you gotta love it.

it is weird I have come across 2 sonics (super strait and now this cherry bell) in 4 months time. Both cost me the same price ($140) and are wonderful EM's. The playfield durability on these is the best in the industry of the period bar none. Even the super straight which was more worn and played than this mint cherry bell was still near perfect on the playfield surface.

Crappy cabs though, good art but poor "wood" choice. It is cheap ass particle board or whatever the european standard for particle board was back then. It sucks, and is fragile as hell. Shame because they put good art on the sides, that's why I love that cherry bell so much, not only the playfield nice (common for a sonic) but the cab is cherry (rare for a sonic). If you are ever in Colorado a.f. you are welcome to stop by and play it and talk shop.

regards